Bone Marrow Adiposity, Bone Mineral Density and Wnt/β-catenin Pathway Inhibitors Levels in Hemodialysis Patients

Background@#Marrow adipose tissue (MAT) is known to accumulate in patients with chronic kidney disease. This pilot study aimed to evaluate bone mineral density (BMD), MAT, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) using computed tomography (CT) scans and to explore correlations between bone parameters, circulating Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor levels, and adipose tissue parameters. @*Methods@#Single-center cross-sectional pilot study conducted in hemodialysis patients at the Centre Universitaire de Québec, Hôtel-Dieu de Québec hospital, Canada. CT-scan slices were acquired at the levels of the hip, L3 vertebra, and tibia. Volumetric and areal BMD, tibia cortical thickness, VAT and SAT area, and fat marrow index (FMI) were analyzed using the Mindways QCT Pro software. Blood levels of sclerostin, dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1), fibroblast growth factor 23, and α-Klotho were assessed. Spearman’s rho test was used to evaluate correlations. @*Results@#Fifteen hemodialysis patients (median age, 75 [66–82] years; 80% male; dialysis vintage, 39.3 [27.4–71.0] months) were included. While inverse correlations were obtained between L3 FMI and BMD, positive correlations were found between proximal tibial FMI and vertebral and tibial BMD, as well as with tibial (proximal and distal) cortical thickness. VAT had a positive correlation with α-Klotho levels, whereas L3 FMI had a negative correlation with DKK1 levels. @*Conclusions@#CT-scan allows simultaneous evaluation of bone and marrow adiposity in dialysis patients. Correlations between MAT and BMD vary depending on the bone site evaluated. DKK1 and α-Klotho levels correlate with adipose tissue accumulation in dialysis patients.

Effects of Different TCM Exercises for Preventive Treatment of Diseases on Sleep Quality, Depression and Anxiety of College Students / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To observe the effects of different TCM exercises for preventive treatment of diseases on sleep quality and multidimensional mental health level of college students.Methods According to the willing of the research objects, 132 college students were divided into Yijinjing group, Baduanjin group, Wuqinxi group, Tai Chi group, and jogging group. They exercised 45 min each time, 5–6 times per week, received central guidance every two weeks, and exercise intensity was timely adjusted based on master of physical activity and reaction to the situation of college students, for 2 months. PSQI, BFS, SDS and SAS before and after intervention in each group were observed. Results After intervention, five kinds of exercises could improve sleep situation of college students, and had their own focus in sleep quality, falling-asleep time, sleep time, sleep efficiency, sleep disorders, sleep medication, daytime dysfunction. There was statistical significance in BFS activity score, thought score, anger score, excitation score, and depression score after intervention in Yijinjing group compared with before intervention (P<0.05); There was statistical significance in activity score, total joy score, calm total score after intervention in Wuqinxi group compared with before intervention (P<0.05). There was statistical significance in SAS total scores of college students in Yijinjing group, Baduanjin group, and jogging group after intervention compared with before intervention (P<0.05). There was statistical significance in SAS standard scores of college students in Yijinjing group, Baduanjin group, and jogging group after intervention compared with before intervention (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in SDS scores in the five groups before and after intervention (P>0.05).Conclusion 5 kinds of exercises can improve the sleep quality from different aspects. Yijinjing group and Wuqinxi group can improve the mental health of college students, of which Yijinjing group can bi-directionally regulate the positive and negative psychological indicators of college students.

Marfan's syndrome: successful term pregnancy after repair of a dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm at 21 weeks gestation

We report a 38 year-old Chinese woman with Marfan' syndrome that had an acute type A aortic dissection and severe aortic regurgitation at 21 weeks of gestation. Emergency aortic valve repair and ascending aortic replacement was successfully performed under circulatory arrest with mild hypothermia. The patient underwent a cesarean section and delivered a healthy baby at 38 weeks

Surgical treatment of primary malignant tumors of the trachea and main bronchus / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the clinical experience of surgical treatment of primary malignant tumors of the trachea and main bronchus.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The clinicopathological data of 18 patients with primary malignant tumors of the trachea and main bronchus surgically treated from February 1994 to August 2007 were reviewed retrospectively. The surgical management included sleeve tracheal resection in 8 cases, lower trachea and carina resection with carina reconstruction in 4 cases, local enucleation of the tumor in 4 cases, left or right carino-pneumonectomy and carina reconstruction in 2 cases, and resection of the tracheal or bronchial tumor and reconstruction of the airway under cardiopulmonary bypass in 6 cases.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the 18 cases, there were 7 adenoid cystic carcinomas, 9 squamous cell carcinomas, 1 lymphoepithelial-like carcinoma and 1 follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma. All the cases recovered well except one who died of endotracheal bleeding and asphyxia at the 10(th) postoperative day.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Surgical resection is the most effective treatment for primary malignant tumors of the trachea and main bronchus. The selection of operation modes should be individualized according to patients' condition. Both complete resection and safety should be taken into consideration simultaneously.</p>